Nigeria has given its newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners to West Africa a direct order — go out there and stabilise the region, or Nigeria's influence will shrink.
The instruction came Saturday during a strategic retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye told the envoys that their job is no longer about attending ceremonies and filing reports. They must now actively fight terrorism, political instability, and cross-border crime.
"You must engage your host governments to strengthen democratic institutions, deepen rule of law, and ensure stability, peace, and cooperation across West Africa in line with Nigeria's national interest and regional responsibility," Enikanolaiye said.
The warning was blunt. The minister said West Africa is facing multiple, interconnected security threats that demand urgent diplomatic action.
"The resurgence of unconstitutional changes in governments, coupled with rising terrorism across the Sahel, represents serious threats that must be confronted frontally through coordinated diplomacy and regional cooperation," he stated.
He was referring to the wave of coups that has swept the region since 2020 — in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea — and the growing strength of jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State in the Sahel.
Enikanolaiye also highlighted organised crime as a major destabilising force. "The proliferation of small arms and light weapons, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other transnational crimes continue to fuel insecurity and undermine peace and stability in West Africa," he noted.
"Your diplomatic tradecraft must shift from passive observation to active engagement, with stronger coordination, strategic communication, and proactive diplomacy across your host countries."
The minister also raised concern about the growing fragmentation of the region. He pointed to the withdrawal of some ECOWAS member states — an apparent reference to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which announced their exit from the bloc in early 2024 — and the increasing presence of extra-continental powers.
"The withdrawal of some ECOWAS member states and the increasing presence of extra-continental powers require a cautious but firm diplomatic approach to safeguard regional unity and stability," Enikanolaiye warned.
Russia's Wagner Group (now rebranded as Africa Corps) has expanded its footprint in the Sahel, while France has reduced its military presence. China and Turkey have also deepened economic and security ties with several countries in the region.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria's ambassadors must reposition the country as a mediator, honest broker, peacemaker, and stabilising force. "You must reposition Nigeria as a mediator, honest broker, peacemaker, and stabilising force in West Africa through consistent diplomatic engagement and leadership," he said.
The retreat was designed to prepare the envoys for these evolving security realities and to sharpen Nigeria's leadership role. The minister cautioned that Nigeria's influence in the region will increasingly depend on how responsive and strategically clear its diplomatic missions are.
He stressed that ambassadors must act as vital tools for regional stability rather than ceremonial figures, charging them to deliver measurable outcomes that protect national interests and reinforce Nigeria's leadership across the subregion.